Coal mining machine



April 8, 1952 T. w. TUTWILER u 2,592,353

COAL MINING MACHINE Filed July 5. 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet l IN VENTUR. 730 AIL 7'0/w/7erI BYWXM April 8, 1952 T. w. TUTWILER n COAL MINING MACHINE 3Sheets-Sheet Filed July 5. 1947 PPD 9n I H/. w

JIIIIIIIIA' April 8, 1952 T. w. TUTWILER n COAL MINING MACHINE 3Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 5. 1947 t T Ni I I T Patented Apr. 8, 1952COAL MINING MACHINE Temple W. Tutwiler II, Birmingham, Ala.

Application July 5, 1947, Serial No. 759,172

10 Claims.

This invention relates to a mining machine, and particularly to amachine for mining coal, and has for an object the provision of anapparatu of thecharacter designated which shall be especially adapted tooperate along a relatively wide face and which shall be eflective to cutdown the coal and convey it continuously in one direction to a point offinal removal.

A further object of my invention is to'provide a mining machine whichshall embody an elongated frame adapted to be disposed parallel to theface and having a cutter head mounted to reciprocate longitudinally ofthe frame and parallel to the face of the coal, together with conveyormeans disposed beneath the cutter head in position to remove the coal asit is cut down.

Apparatus embodying features of my invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, in which:

Fig. l is a plan view of the machine;-

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof;

' Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-J11 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IVIV of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the frame with the cutting mechanism andconveyor removed;

Fig. 6 is a detail plan view showing the method of connecting the framesections and drive tube together;

Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line VIIVII of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a detail sectional view of the drive for the drive tube;

Fig. 9 is a view at right angles to Fig. 8; and

Fig. 10 is a detail sectional view taken along the line X-X of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings for a better understanding of myinvention, and particularly to Figs. 1 and 5 thereof, my improvedmachine embodies a frame comprised of elongated parallel structuralframe members I 0 and II which are preferably in the form of channelswith their flanges turned inward and spaced apart. The channels ill andH are joined together by means of cross plates !2 spaced at suitableintervals, and welded to the channels. As shown in Fig. 5,

the frame may be made in sections each ten feet I together as by meansof a plate 13 welded to:

the inner sideof the channel 10 andsecured to the adjacent meeting endof the channel I 0a; by a bolt l3'a. A similar plate 14 is welded-t0 theinner side of the channel Ha and is secured to the channel I I by meansof a bolt' Ma.

Mounted on the elongated frame just described, for longitudinal movementthereon, is a cutter head carriage comprising a casting IB having axlehousings I1 and IS in the ends thereof in which are journaledrespectivelyaxles I9 and 2|. Flanged wheels 22, 23, 24 and 2B aremounted on the axles to run on the track formed by the frame members in,II, Illa, Ha, etc. The casting I6 is provided with dove tailed ways 21,28, and in one side thereof is provided a stationary adjusting screwpost 29. A cutter head support 3! is mounted on the casting i6 and isprovided with dove tailed gibs 32 and 33 which fit in the ways 21 and28. On one side of the cutter head support is a movable adjusting screwpost 34. An adjusting screw 36 passes through the stationary post 29 inthreaded engagement 7 therewith and through the post 34. Collars 31 and38 on opposite sides of the post 34 provide means whereby the cutterhead support 3i may be adjusted transversely of the'frame.

Mounted on the cutter head support 3! is a cutter head 4|, being securedthereto by means of braces 42, a suitable number being provided. As maybe seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3 of the drawing, the cutter head is made intwo sections 43 and 44, the latter fitting slidingly over the former.The section 43 is provided with guide Ways 45 in the side in which fitribs 45 provided on the section 44. At the top of the section 44 isprovided a shoe which bears against the roof R of the mine. A lightspring 40 is disposed to bear against the top of the section 43 and theshoe 50 to hold the shoe against the roof R. The

. cutter head is thus automatically adjustable'to the varying thicknessof the seam being worked. Mounted in both sectionsv of the cutter head41 are a suitable number of cutters 41 which fit in suitable recessesprovided in the cutter head and which are held in place by means of setscrews 48. Any desired form of cutters may be employed.

Mounted between the ends of the frame members l0 and H, adjacent thelower sides thereof, where they rest on the floor, isa sprocket 51. Atthe opposite end, between the frame members lab, and lib is a sprocket52, which-is journalled between plates 53 and 54 by means-of a pin 56.The plates 53 and 54 are joined at their inner ends by means of a plate51 from which a guide pin 58 extends through the adjacent cross platc12. A coil spring 59 surrounds the guide pin 58 and bears against theplate 12 to bias the sprocket 52 outwardly. Mounted on the sprockets 5|and 52 is a conveyor chain 6! having flights 62 mounted thereon,extending outwardly of the frame and below the level of the cutter head4| as shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. The chain 6| is also provided withspaced vertically extending pins 63, the purpose of which will later beexplained. 'I'hechain 6| is driven by means of a motor 64 and gearreduction train indicated generally by the numeral 66.

The cutter head carriage is reciprocated longitudinally of the frame andalong the working face F of the mine from the chain 6| in the manner nowto be described. Mounted on the carriage l6 beneath the cutter headsupport 3| is a shifting plate 61 having depending arms 68 and 69 whichextend downwardly alongside the frame and which are provided with lugs'H and 12 adapted to engage alternately, the pins 63 on the conveyorchain 6|. The length of the plate 61 is such that only one of the lugs1| or 12 can be engaged at a time with one of the pins 63, and thedepending arm 68 is cut out as indicated at 68a to pass the screw post29. As may be seen in Figs. 1 and 5, I provide at one end of the frame,on one side thereof, an inclined shifting cam 14, and at the other endof the frame, on the opposite side thereof, an inclined shifting cam 18.These shifting cams are so disposed as to engage the depending arms 68and 69 and thus shift the shifting plate 61 with its depending armstransversely of the frame. In this manner,

the lugs 12 will engage with the pins 63 on one side of the frame as thecarriage I6 is nearing the end of the frame, and cause the carriage [6with its cutter head 3| to move along the face F of the mine in theother direction. When it reaches the shifting cam 14, the arm 69 isengaged by the cam and moves the plate 61 laterally until the lugs I2are out of engagement with the pins 63, and the lugs 1 I, on theopposite side of the frame, are engaged with pins 63 on that side of theframe to move the carriage with its cutter head in the oppositedirection. The carriage is thus reciprocated along the face by theconveyor chain, while the latter moves in one direction only.

Mounted between the frame members I0, ll, Illa, Ila, and lb, lib, andextending substantially the full length of the frame is a drive tube 11made up of sections, corresponding substantially to the lengths of theframe sections [0, ll, IOa, II a, and which are joined together at theirends by means of flange couplings 18, and by bolts 19 and nuts 8|. Theflanges are provided with teeth 80 to engage with the earth. The tube Hbears in slots 82, as shown in Fig. '7, Provided in the cross plates [2.Protuberances 85 are provided in the sides of the slots by welding orotherwise to prevent the tube from falling out of the slots when theapparatus is being moved. Suitable cleats 83 are provided at intervalson the drive tube 11 for engagement with the ground. The drive tube 11is driven by means of a ratchet arm 84 which terminates at its lower endin a collar 86 surrounding the drive tube 11 and which has two pawls 81and 81a pivotally mounted thereon at 88. Extending from the gearreduction housing 66 is a shaft 89 having a cam 9i thereon which fitsinto' a yoke 92 formed on the upper end of the ratchet arm 84. By thismeans, the arm 84 is oscillated to engage the pawl 81 or 81a, a notch ata time, in the ratchet and rotate the tube to drive the machine, withthe cutter head 4|, toward the face F of the working. The pawls 81 and81a may be placed in operation selectively by means of a lever pivotedat 95 to the ratchet arm 84, and by links 90a and 90b. The pawls 81 and81a may thus be placed in operation selectively, and the frame movedforwardly toward the face F or rearwardly away from the face asrequired, or they may both be disengaged to allow the frame to remainstationary.

From the foregoing, the operation of my improved apparatus will bereadily understood. The apparatus is especially adapted for operatingalong a relatively wide face and with thin seams of coal. The frame isdisposed. as shown in Fig. 1, parallel to the face, and the conveyorchain 6| is driven by the motor 64, through the gear reduction 66 tocause the cutter head 4| to reciprocate along the face, with the cutters41 engaging with the coal and breaking it down. Variations in thicknessof the seam are compensated by the spring 40 acting on the sections 43and 44 of the cutter head. As the coal is broken down, it falls into thepath of the conveyor flights 62 which move in one direction only beneaththe cutter head to carry the coal to the end of the frame where it maybe removed by any suitable means, not shown. The machine is movedlaterally toward the face by means of the drive tube 11 with its cleats83 engaging with the ground, so that the cutter head with the cutters ismaintained in engagement with the face of the working at all times. Theframe may be made in as many sections as may be required to adapt theapparatus to the work required.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that I have developed a miningmachine which is simple of design and operation and which is effectiveto remove coal along a relatively wide face.

While I have shown my invention in but one form, it will be obvious tothose skilled in the art that it is not so limited, but is susceptibleof various changes and modifications, without departing from the spiritthereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall beplaced there upon as are specifically set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a mining machine for removing material from the face of a mine, anelongated frame, a conveyor chain having outwardly projecting flightsthereon mounted to move in one direction along one side thereof, acutter head mounted to reciprocate on the frame above the conveyor chainparallel to the mine face and having cutter elements fixedly mountedthereon projecting outwardly over the conveyor flights to engage themine face, and a rotary member extending longitudinally of the frame andhaving ground engaging cleats thereon for moving the frame laterally inthe direction of projection of the cutter elements.

2. In a mining machine, a frame comprising a pair of spaced parallelstructural members forming a track, a carriage mounted for reciprocatorymovement longitudinally on the track, means to reciprocate the carriage,a cutter head comprised of upper and lower sections mounted on thecarriage and having cutter elements thereon projecting laterally of thetrack, a spring interposed between the sections to bias the uppersection upwardly, sprockets in the ends of the frame, a conveyor chainmounted on the sprockets to travel along the outside of the frame, andflights on the conveyor chain projecting outwardly below the cutterelements.

3. In a mining machine for removing material from the face of a mine, anelongated frame, a conveyor chain having outwardly projecting flightsthereon mounted to move in one direction along one side thereofgenerally parallel to the mine face, a cutter head mounted toreciprocate on the frame above the conveyor chain and paralleltherewith, said cutter head carrying cutter elements projecting over theconveyor flights to engage the mine face, and ground engaging drivemeans mounted on the frame and disposed to move the entire machinelaterally in the direction of projection of the cutter elements towardthe mine face.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 in which the upper section of thecutter head is provided with a roof bearing shoe and a spring isprovided to bias the shoe upwardly.

5. In a mining machine, a frame comprising a pair of spaced parallelstructural members forming a track, a carriage mounted for reciprocatorymovement longitudinally on the track, a cutter head mounted on thecarriage and having cutter elements thereon projecting laterally of thetrack, sprockets in the ends of the frame, a conveyor chain mounted onthe sprockets to travel alon the outside of the frame, flights on theconveyor chain projecting outwardly below the level of the cutterelements, a rotary member extending longitudinally of the frame andjournalled between the structural members, and ground engaging cleats onthe rotary member for moving the frame laterally in the direction ofprojection of the cutter elements.

6. In a mining machine, an elongated frame comprising a pair of spacedstructural members adapted to lie parallel to the face of a mineworking, sprockets in the ends of the frame, a conveyor chain mounted onthe sprockets for movement around the sides of the frame, conveyorelements on the chain extending outwardly therefrom, a carriage mountedon the frame for reciprocatory movement longitudinally thereof parallelto the face, cutter elements mounted .on the carriage and extendingtoward the face beyond the conveyor elements for engagement with theface, a rotary tube extending the length of the frame and journalledbetween the structural members, and cleats on the tube for engagementwith the earth to move the frame laterally toward the face.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 in which the frame is formed ofstructural members joined at spaced intervals by cross plates and therotary tube is j ournalled in the cross plates.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 in which the frame is comprised of aplurality of pairs of structural members joined together in end to endrelation and in which the rotary tube is made in sections correspondingin length to the length of the structural members, and in which thesections of the tube are joined together by flanged coupling membershaving notches therein for engagement with the earth in propelling themachine.

9. In a mining machine, an elongated frame comprised of a pair of spacedstructural members adapted to lie parallel to the face of a mineworking, sprockets in the ends of the frame, a conveyor chain mounted onthe sprockets for movement around the sides of the frame, conveyorelements on the chain extending outwardly therefrom, a carriage mountedon the frame for movement longitudinally thereof parallel to the face,cutter elements mounted on the carriage and extending toward the facebeyond the con veyor elements for engagement with the face, a pair oflaterally shiftable depending arms on the carriage, lugs on the conveyorchain for alternate engagement with the laterally shiftable arms, andmeans at opposite ends of the frame for shifting the arms.

10. In a mining machine, an elongated frame comprising a pair of spacedstructural members adapted to lie parallel to the face of a mineworking, sprockets at the ends of the frame, a conveyor chain mounted onthe sprockets for movement around the sides of the frame, conveyorelements on the chain extending outwardly therefrom, a carriage mountedon the frame for reciprocatory movement longitudinally thereof parallelto the face, cutter elements mounted on the carriage and extendingtoward the face beyond the conveyor elements for engagementwith theface, a rotary tube extending the length of the frame and journalledbetween the structural members, cleats on the tube for engagement withthe earth to move the frame laterally toward the face, and means toadjust the position of the cutter elements laterally of the frame, aratchet on the tube, an oscillating arm associated with the ratchet,pawls mounted on the oscillating arm and adjustable whereby they may beselectively engaged with the ratchet to rotate the tube in eitherdirection.

TEMPLE W. TUTWILER II.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 419,199 Ingold Jan. 14, 1890502,426 Wilson Aug. 1, 1893 574,790 Doris et al. Jan. 5, 1897 588,051Bliss Aug. 10, 1897 1,127,395 Bemies et a1. Feb. 9, 1915 1,190,300 KuhnJuly 11, 1916 1,273,504 Kuhn July 23, 1918 1,327,052 London Jan. 6, 19201,522,693 Morgan Jan. 13, 1925 1,588,987 OToole June 15, 1926 FOREIGNPATENTS Number Country Date 574,268 Germany Apr. 11, 1938 642,686Germany Mar. 12, 1937

